exploitative
adjective
ex·ploit·ative
ik-ˈsplȯi-tə-tiv 
ˈek-ˌsplȯi-
ˈek-ˌsplȯi-
: exploiting or tending to exploit
especially
: unfairly or cynically using another person or group for profit or advantage
exploitative terms of employment
an exploitative film
exploitatively
adverb
Examples of exploitative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prato is home to several factories for fast-fashion companies, some of which have exploitative labor practices, Matteo Biffoni, the city’s mayor, said in the documentary.
—
Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Some of their money is acquired through questionable means—from exploitative business practices, or dodging taxes, or outright theft.
—Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2024
In its own way, despite the stumbles, Tony’s work has helped grow issue awareness in the U.K. on the exploitative ways of the cocoa industry from 10% to 40% in five years, market research firm IPSOS found.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 30 Mar. 2024
But advocates say that New York’s permissiveness also enables exploitative actors to enter the guardianship business.
—Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024
Many of the reviews and conversations around the documentary have criticized it for being exploitative.
—Ilana Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The twins have a symbiotic relationship (building the same clinic, pursuing the same women), and their dependency challenges the distinctions between an empowering procedure and an exploitative one, an altruistic motive and a cash grab, a good twin and a bad twin.
—Amanda Hess, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
There is no doubt that African countries have battled for decades, first to rid themselves of the legacy of colonialism and then to fight new battles against neo-colonialism in the guise of asymmetric economic warfare, exploitative extractive trade, and emasculating aid in return.
—Ivor Ichikowitz, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2024
This is a film about performance too, and how exploitative playing the role of a real-life person can be.
—Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2023
Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Some of their money is acquired through questionable means—from exploitative business practices, or dodging taxes, or outright theft.
—Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2024
In its own way, despite the stumbles, Tony’s work has helped grow issue awareness in the U.K. on the exploitative ways of the cocoa industry from 10% to 40% in five years, market research firm IPSOS found.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 30 Mar. 2024
But advocates say that New York’s permissiveness also enables exploitative actors to enter the guardianship business.
—Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024
Many of the reviews and conversations around the documentary have criticized it for being exploitative.
—Ilana Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The twins have a symbiotic relationship (building the same clinic, pursuing the same women), and their dependency challenges the distinctions between an empowering procedure and an exploitative one, an altruistic motive and a cash grab, a good twin and a bad twin.
—Amanda Hess, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
There is no doubt that African countries have battled for decades, first to rid themselves of the legacy of colonialism and then to fight new battles against neo-colonialism in the guise of asymmetric economic warfare, exploitative extractive trade, and emasculating aid in return.
—Ivor Ichikowitz, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2024
This is a film about performance too, and how exploitative playing the role of a real-life person can be.
—Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exploitative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1879, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near exploitative
Cite this Entry
“Exploitative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exploitative. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Britannica English: Translation of exploitative for Arabic Speakers
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